Meter-box



No. 753,126- PATENTED FEB 23, 1904.

E. H. GOWAN '& B. C. PALMER. METER BOX.

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UNITED STATES Patented. February 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. COWAN AND BENJAMIN C. PALMER, OF MARION, OHIO.

METER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,126, dated February 23, 1904:.

Application filed April 1, 1903. Serial No. 150,650. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD H. CowAN and BENJAMIN O. PALMER, citizens of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Meter-Box, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to meter-boxes, and is especially directed to that class of devices which are employed for'protecting water-me te-rs when situated under ground in streets, or the like. These devices ordinarily are embedded in the ground surrounding the meter, and with most boxes of the types now employed it is necessary in order to remove the meter for resetting or repairing to first dig up and remove the box in order that access may be had. to the meter or to employ an extensiondial, which latter is for many reasons objectionable. Further, with the types of boxes now in use the pipes which extend to the meter are connected with the boxes, thus rendering extremely liable the breakage of pipes, owing to the boxes settling under the influ ence of the passage thereover of loaded teams or like heavy weights. A further objectionable feature is that these boxes in practice become filled with water, for whichthere is no escape, thus rendering it necessary in order to inspect the meter to first pump out the water.

The present invention has for its object to provide a meter-box which will be simple of construction, efficient in operation, and one by which the above defects and disadvantages are entirely obviated. 7

To these ends the invention comprises the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a meter-box constructed in accordance with this invention, illustrating the same as applied in position over a meter. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is adetail sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a 'meter, and 2 and 3, respectively, main and service pipes attached thereto. Theseparts may be of the usual or any desired construcperforated ears or lugs 9 10, cast integral with J the ends and sides, respectively, of the box at the points of meeting of their longitudinal edges, thus permitting the ready assemblage of the parts. 11 indicates a horizontal peripheral flang formed at the top of the box and projecting inward from the sides and ends thereof. This flange receives and supports the cover 12-,

which is locked in place by means of a curved looking bar or member 13, which engages at its ends beneath wedge-shaped lugs 14, cast upon the integral side walls of the box near its top. The locking member is actuated for engagement or disengagement with the lugs by means of a bolt 15, which extends loosely through a central perforation of the cover and is fixedly associated with the locking-bar and is provided beyond the outer wall of the cover with a pentagon head 16, the cover being provided with a central depression 17 for receiving the head to obviate the same becoming damaged or accidentally turned. From this construction it will be seen that when the bar 13 is moved into engagement with the lugs 14 the lid will be heldfirmly and securely in place and may be readily released for removal by rotating the bolt to free the locking-bar from engagement with the lugs, as will be readily understood.

18 indicates a horizontal flange formed upon the interior of the box a suitable distance below its top. This flange receives and sustains a suitable supplemental cover 19, which is seated loosely upon the flange and is provided with a finger piece or ring 20, the lower face of the cover being provided with a suitable flexible packing material, such as burlap or the like, for the purpose which will presently appear.

22 22 indicate central longitudinal slots formed in the end walls 6 of the box, near the bottom thereof, to allow the ready passage of pipes 2 and 3 and to permit of the box being readily seated in position over the meter and having a longitudinal movement relative thereto. In this connection it is to be noted that by this construction the meter may first be attached to the pipes and the box then seated over the same and that the latter after being so positioned may move downward under the influence of heavy pressure upon its cover without liability of damaging the pipes. Attention may here be directed to the fact that owing to the lower end or bottom 7 of the Y box being entirely open any water which may ground at the bottom of the box.

enter the same through drainage from the ground surface will flow off through the Further, the chamber which is formed at the upper end 1 of the box between its top 12 and supplemental cover 19.will efiectually prevent frost aflecting the meter; but as an additional precaution against this latter contingency the lower face of the cover 19 is provided with the packing,

' as above described. 1

From the foregoing it will be seen that we produce a device of extreme simplicity which may be manufactured at a minimum cost and one which in practice will efl iciently perform its functions, and in attaining these ends it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details herein shown and described, inasmuch as minor changes may be made in the form, proportions, and manner of assemblage of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is A meter-box having inwardly-projecting wedge-shaped lugs associated with its Walls near its top, a cover, a bolt extended loosely through the latter for free rotation, and a longitudinally and downwardly curved lockingbar fixedly attached to and operable by the bolt for engagement with the lugs to secure the cover.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto aflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD H. COWAN. BENJAMIN C. PALMER.

Witnesses:

PATRICK J. MONAHAN, ELISHA B. DURFEE. 

